Fresh Berry Granita

Italians make a frozen dessert called a granita. Granite (plural for granita) are scraped ices, much like the Italian ices sold by street vendors in North America. This granita incorporates fresh berries, making it a perfect summer treat.

Credit: PhotoDisc, Inc.

Preparation time: 3 1/2 hours

Yield: 4 servings

3 cups fresh berries

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/3 cup sugar

Wash the berries and remove any stems.

Add the berries and cold water to a blender or food processor, then puree them.

Press the pureed mixture through a fine sieve.

Sieving the berries removes any skins or seeds.

Add the sugar, to taste.

Pour the berry liquid into a 13-x-9-x-2-inch ceramic or glass pan.

Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Using a large metal spoon, stir frozen crystals from around the edges of the pan back into the liquid.

While the mixture continues to freeze, scrape the spoon against the sides and bottom of the pan to loosen and break up frozen crystals.

Repeat this scraping process every 30 minutes or so until the mixture is frozen and a bit creamy, about 3 hours total.

Scoop the crystals into individual bowls or goblets, and serve immediately.